My $150+12 Tournament on stars... PLEASE HELP ME!

[Bill Ivey]

6:35 PM 5/9/2005

My $150 PokerStars MTT Journal:

I am a successful cash game player that is looking to become a winning tournament player. Here are the hands that I lost chips in (not including the blinds). Also below are my stats and some other hands worth discussing. I am looking for any advice that would help me become a better tournament player.

Hand #1: http://www.pokerhand.org/index.php?p...amp;hand=61291

Two people limp in and I raise 4xBB in MP, got reraised so I mucked...

Hand #2: http://www.pokerhand.org/index.php?p...amp;hand=61296

Limped in UTG with 55, missed flop and check-folded to the bettor.

Hand #3: http://www.pokerhand.org/index.php?p...amp;hand=61305

Yes! My patience paid off, I now have a chance to double or even triple up. Oh, you got quads? GG.

Here are my stats:

During current Hold'em session you were dealt 57 hands and saw flop:
- 3 out of 6 times while in big blind (50%)
- 2 out of 7 times while in small blind (28%)
- 2 out of 44 times in other positions (4%)
- a total of 7 out of 57 (12%)
Pots won at showdown - 0 of 1 (0%)
Pots won without showdown - 2

So I willingly played 2 hands (55 and AA) and lost with both. In TJ and Harrington's book they say play a conservative/tight style which just isn't working for me.

[TheJackal]

Hand 1: I call and see a flop. I hate AQ as much as the next guy, but folding here getting better than 2:1 is bad.

Hand 2: Pretty standard. I dont mind the limp with a small pair hoping to flop a set. It'll work well also when you limp with KK or AA the next time after showing the hand down and someone doesn't think you have much of a hand. Fold was in order.

Hand 3: Bad luck. Nothing more you can do but boycott pokerstars.

I think once you play some more tournaments, you'll find your groove. It just takes some time and expierence.

[West]

You misplayed your aces. Also:

[ QUOTE ]
Pots won at showdown - 0 of 1 (0%)

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I've isolated the stat that is killing your MTT game. If it's not statistically significant yet, it's dangerously close. Start winning pots at showdown and you will see a noticeable improvement in your tourney results.

Gotta go, I think I hear sirens and I don't want to be around when the bad beat police get here.

[Noel Montgomery]

Hand 1 is fine. Good fold IMO. There are better hands to go to battle with.

On Hand 2, I would have most likely folded preflop with 5/5 under the gun. If I were to have played it (about 25% of the time), I would have bet 300. You need to lower the amount of players in the pot and represent a stronger hand than you have when you play weak pocket pairs in early position.

Hand 3 is a bad beat, and you know it. Ugly, yes...but I seen worse.

As for your flops seen percentage...
I occasionally have a percentage that low, but normally mine rides about 18-22%. You're definitely not seeing enough flops in the small blind. If there's two or more limpers, I'll play any two. If there's one limper, I'll play with suited connected (up to two gaps) and better. You'll flop a winning hand enough to make the completion bet worthwhile. You don't even need to hit on the flop. A good blind play that I make is when you miss the flop, but the board comes up ugly or paired with low cards (i.e. 3/3/6 rainbow, 4/3/7 rainbow) you can shoot out a bet (or checkraise) and no one wants to call your bluff, because you're a blind. Why wouldn't you have those cards?

I'm no professional player, so take my advice with that in mind. I am a winning tournament player, though. If anyone would like to correct my advice, feel free.

[Chief911]

What is your sample size for this strategy not working?

Nick

[2005]

Hand 1: call and see a flop, your odds are too good to pass up here.

Hand 2: Limping is fine with me

Hand 3: w/e bad beat, move on.